When you first buy your caravan, there are several accessories that you’ll definitely want to pick up.
Whether it’s an electric hook-up lead, a kettle for your gas hob or a bottle of the best caravan toilet chemical, there are lots of essentials that you need to buy to help you get the most from your tours.
But after a while you come to realise that other little bits and pieces make a big difference to being comfortable when you’re away, and take things to the next level – those small caravan upgrades or pieces of kit that can elevate your travels, making your caravan feel like a true home from home.
I’m the editor of Practical Caravan, so here are my suggestions for five accessories that you might not have thought of packing in your caravan this summer!
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Truma LevelCheck
Gas is pretty important to us caravanners – after all, it allows us to cook meals and heat our tourers to a comfortable temperature, making it possible to caravan in winter. But trying to work out how much gas you have left in your bottle can be tricky – you can pick it up to feel how much it weighs, but that’s far from an exact science.
Which is why the Truma LevelCheck is such a handy gadget – simply hold it horizontally against the side of your gas bottle and a red light will illuminate if no gas is detected at that level, or green if it is. Note that it only works on steel and aluminium gas cylinders from 200-350mm diameter, and not on fillable tanks, but for most standard-bottles user, this product should prove very handy.
Portable Induction Hob
If you’re trying to save money on gas and regularly use electric hook-up when you’re on site, then you should consider going induction when it comes to cooking – and a portable unit such as this from Daewoo looks ideal.
You’ll need to be careful not to use too many other electric gadgets in your caravan at the same time to avoid tripping the electricity supply bollard, and you will need suitable pots and pans, but it’s a great and simple way of cooking that completely avoids the need for gas. The digital controls look straightforward to use, and because it only measures 35 x 28cm, the whole thing can be packed neatly away in a locker when you’re finished cooking.
Wardrobe organiser
I have something very similar to this, and it’s proved incredibly useful over the years. Caravan storage space for clothes, shoes and the like is limited in every tourer, which is why it’s important to make the most of the space that you do have – and a wardrobe organiser does just that.
Simply attach it to the hanging rail of your wardrobe using the Velcro straps and it will allow you to stow away jumpers, footwear and more in what would otherwise likely be a dead space – everything is kept close at hand and tidy, too. If you decide you don’t need it for a while it can be simply folded flat and stashed at the bottom of your wardrobe, ready for your next outing.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Removable washroom shelves
As with the wardrobe organiser above, I have something very similar to these removable shelves, and they are a great storage solution in the confines of a caravan washroom. Not only do they provide space to store toiletries, washcloths and more, they are attached via suction pads, meaning that you don’t need to drill any holes into your tourer’s walls (thus potentially invalidating any warranty).
It also means that, if you change your mind on their position, you can quickly and easily move them to exactly where you’d like them to be. This particular version claims to support a weight of up to 10kg, and I particularly like the vents at the bottom that allow water to pass through.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Battery-powered fan
If you don’t have air conditioning fitted in your caravan, it can become uncomfortably warm during the summer months. Using a fan is a good solution, but what if you’re ejoying some off-grid caravanning or the fan’s lead won’t stretch to where you actually need it?
That’s where a portable battery-powered fan such as this comes in. Keep its 10,000mAh battery charged and you’ll get hours of cooling power – it can easily be recharged via USB when needed. There are four different operating speeds available, and the LED display shows the remaining battery level. It promises to be very quiet – ideal for use on hot nights – and there’s a built-in light that’s ideal for reading or use in an awning.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
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